Spin pot chamber



Oct. 29, 1957 G. w. LIMONARD 2,811,014

SPIN POT'CHAMBER Filed June 30, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I 4.9 12 fin/ H l 1 I l J0 I 1 N VE NTOR ATTORNEY Oct. 29, 1957 G. w. LIMONARD SPIN POT CHAMBER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 30, 1952 a Y Rr mm W H WW T M mh M s u 1 4 3 5 3 W S a m r. A L I I 0 .s 3 4 6 3 United States Patent SPIN POT CHAMBER Gijsbertus Wilhelmus Limonard, Breda, Netherlands, as-

signor to American Enka Corporation, Enka, N. C., a corporation of Delaware Application June 30, 1952, Serial No. 296,385 Claims priority, application Netherlands July 12, 1951 8 Claims. (CI. 5776) This invention relates to the manufacture of rayon, and more particularly to improvements in apparatus for use in the manufacture of rayon by the centrifugal pot spinning process.

One of the usual methods for collecting rayon thread after spinning is to introduce the wet thread into a centrifuge or spinning pot. The centrifuge or spinning pot is generally enclosed in a chamber in order to confine the liquids and gases escaping from the spinning pot. By the use of such a chamber the gases formed during spinning may be drawn Ofi and, if desired, recovered.

Originally, spin pot chambers were square in shape and they were closed with a square cover. It was later found, however, that a considerable reduction could be made in the amount of electrical current required to rotate the spin pot if the square-shaped chamber was replaced by a chamber and cover having a round shape. As a consequence, most spin pot chambers which are now used are cylindrically shaped with a round lid or cover. An example of such a spin pot chamber is the one disclosed in U. S. Patent No. 2,293,970 to De Klerk. More recent attempts to favorably influence the air move ments in the spin pot chamber have led to the conical widening of the lower part of the cylindrical spin pot chamber.

Cylindrical spin pot chambers provided with round covers, either with or without the widened lower part, have a disadvantage in that considerable vibration of the spin pot spindle sometimes occurs when the spin pot is rotated at more than about 6000 R. P. M. This vibration becomes more pronounced as the spindle speed increases with the result that the yarn which is being collected is subjected to a disturbing and undesirable influence.

It is an object of this invention to provide improved apparatus for-use in a centrifugal pot spinning process.

Another object of this invention is to provide apparatus which will reduce vibration to a minimum when a spin pot spindle is rotated at excessive speeds.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for manufacturing rayon at higher speeds without affecting the quality of the rayon being manufactured.

These and other objects will appear from a study of the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure l is a view in sectional elevation of a spin pot chamber constructed according to the invention; and

Figure 2 is a view taken along the lines 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a plan view of a modified form of the invention;

Figure 4 is a sectional elevation taken along the lines 44 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a plan view of another embodiment of the invention;

Figure 6 is a sectional elevation taken along the lines 66 of Figure 5.

p, 2,811,014 Patented Oct. 29, 1957 ice In accordance with this invention, vibration of the spin pot spindle can be substantially eliminated by altering the shape of the cover of the spin pot chamber or by altering the shape of the upper walls of the chamber. By practicing this invention it becomes possible to increase the speed of the spindle to well over 6000 R. P. M. without deleteriously affecting the quality of the thread being collected.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, the numeral 10 designates a spin pot chamber which is cylindrical in cross section throughout its height. Near its upper end, chamber 10 is provided with a radially extending flange 11. Annular member 12 is connected to the upper surface of flange 11 so as to form a channel 13 around the periphery of chamber 10. The bottom of chamber 10 contains an opening 14 to accommodate a motor housing for the spin pot spindle (not shown). Another opening 15 is provided near the lower end of chamber 10 for the purpose of removing liquids and gases which accumulate during the spinning operation.

A cover 16 for chamber 10 has the general shape of an inverted oblong bowl and is provided with a depending flange 17 which is adapted to rest in channel 13 so that when liquid is placed in channel 13 an air-tight seal between the chamber and its cover is effectuated. It will be understood that channel 13 is substantially circular whereas flange 17 is in the shape of an ellipse. Thus, annular member 12 must be of sufficient diameter to make certain that the long axis of flange 17 can be accommodated in channel 13. The top of cover 16 is provided with opening 18 to accommodate a reciprocating guide funnel (not shown) through which thread is intro duced into the spinning pot. The center of opening 18, of course, coincides with the vertical axis of spin pot chamber 10. The cover 16 is in the form of an ellipse to conform with the shape of flange 17.

The invention may be used in apparatus where no liquid seal is used and the spin pot chamber cover is a substantially flat plate and fits into the spin pot chamber. In this embodiment the vertical walls of the spin pot chamber are composed of a lower portion which is circular in cross section and an upper portion which is non-circular in cross section. For example, the chamber may comprise a lower portion the cross section of which is circular and an upper portion having an elliptical cross section. The upper portion of this chamber is provided on the chamber interior with an elliptical-shaped shoulder. The cover member, which is a flat plate, may be in the form of an ellipse and rests on the shoulder. It may be locked in place by any appropriate means. The elliptical cover is provided with an opening to accommodate the reciprocating guide funnel for introducing thread into the spinning pot. The center of this opening is aligned with the central axis of the lower part of the chamber.

The spin pot chamber cover or the upper part of the chamber itself is not necessarily limited to an elliptical shape but may have any arbitrary shape provided that the horizontal cross section deviates from a circular shape. For example, the cover may have a square, rectangular or polygonal horizontal cross section. If no liquid seal is used and the cover fits the top of the spinning pot chamber as described above, the upper part of the chamber walls, as well as the cover, may have a horizontal cross section which assumes any of the forms mentioned. The part of the chamber with the non-circular cross section, then, may have a larger or smaller diameter than the circular part of the chamber.

Such modifications of the invention are illustrated in Figures 3-6. In the spin pot chamber shown in Figures 3 and 4 the lower walls are of circular cross section while the upper walls and cover have a square cross section. The lower part of the chamber is comprised of a cylindrical portion which is connected to an upper portion 21. Upper portion-21 issquare shapedin cross section. EX- tending-around the'interior-wall ofportionZl is asquare-. shaped shoulder 22. Cover member-23, in the 'form .of a fiat plate, is square shaped and rests on shoulder 22. Cover 23-may be locked in place by any appropriate means (not shown). The square-shaped cover is provided with an opening 24 to accommodatethe reciprocating guide funnel for introducing thread into the spinpot. The center of opening 24 is aligned with opening 25 in the bottom of'the spin pot chamber. Auothcr opening 26 near the lower end of cylindricalportion 20 is provided so.that liquids and gases whichaccumulate during'the spinning operation mayberemoved, as explained above.

In Figures 5 and 6 there isshown a spin ,pot chamber having polygonal-shaped upper walls. The lower portion 30 of the-chamber iscylindrical and the upperportion 31 of the chamber is;in the shape of a hexagon. Around the inner wall ofhexagon-shaped portion 31 there is provided shoulder 32. Flat cover member 33, which is also in the shape of a hexagon, is supported by shoulder 32. Cover 33 is provided with opening 34 and cylindrical portion 30 is provided with openings 35 and 36 which correspond infunction with openings 24, 25 and 26, respectively, in Figures 3 and 4 above.

Spin pot chambers constructed in accordance with this invention have been found to operate satisfactorily at excessive speeds with substantially no vibration and without interfering with thequality of the yarn beingproduced.

Having .now described the invention, it is to be understood that variations and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is desiredthat the scope thereof be limited only by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for enclosing a spin pot comprising the combination of a vertically disposed chamber the'lower walls of which arecircular in cross section, and a cover for said chamber, the cross section of the space enclosed by said chamber and said cover being circular near the lower part of said space andnon-circularnear the upper part of said space, said cover member beingprovided with an aperture to accommodate reciprocating means for introducingthread into said spin pot.

2. A spin pot chambercomprising a vertically disposed cylindrical shaped vessel for enclosing aspin pot,.an inverted bowl-shaped cover member for said vessel, the horizontal cross section of said cover member having the shape of an ellipse.

3. Apparatus for enclosing aspin pot comprising the combination of a vertically disposed chamber, the lower walls of which are circular in cross section .and the upper walls of which are non-circular in cross-section, and a cover member for said chamber.

4. Apparatus forenclosing a spin pot comprising the combination of a vertically disposed chamber, the lower walls of which are circular in cross section and the upper walls of which are square shaped in cross section, and a cover member for said chamber.

5. Apparatus for enclosing a spin pot comprising the combination of a vertically disposed vessel, the lower walls of which are circular incross section, and the upper walls of which arepolygonal in cross section, and a cover member for said vessel.

6. Apparatus for'enclosing a spin pot comprising the combination of a vertically disposed cylindrical vessel having an opening in the bottom to accommodate driving means for a spinning pot spindle, an inverted bowl-shaped cover member for said vessel, the walls of said cover member being adapted'to extend around the top part of said vessel, and meansfor effecting a substantially air-tight seal between the top of said vessel and the walls of said cover, the horizontal crossasection of said cover member having the shape 'ofan ellipse, said cover member being providedwith an aperture'to accommodate reciprocating means for introducing thread into said spinningpot, the center of said aperture being aligned with the opening in thebottom of said vessel.

7. 'Apparatusfor enclosing a spin pot comprising the combination of avertically disposed vessel the lower walls ofwhich are circular in cross section and the upper walls of which are non-circular in icrosssection, a substantially flat non-circular covermember for said vessel, means for supporting said cover member on said vessel, the cross section of said cover member being ofsubstantially the same geometrical pattern as Ithe non-circular cross section of said upper Walls, means definingan opening in the bottom of said vessel to.accommodate driving means for said spinning pot spindle, and means defining an aperture in said cover aligned with said opening to accommodate reciprocating means for introducing thread into said spinning pot.

'8. A spin pot chamber comprising a vertically disposed cylindrical shaped vesselfor enclosing a spin pot, an inverted bowl-shaped cover member for said vessel, the helizontalcross section of said cover member having a noncircular shape and'being provided with an aperture to accommodate.reciprocating means for introducing thread into said pot.

References Cited inthefile of thispatent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

